A Trickster At Hogwarts
by PurplePoppyPen
Summary: Loki, being bored, travels to another dimension of Midgard but gets caught up in his adventure. He turns one of the biggest celebrities in the wizarding word into a Slytherin. There are worse things he could have done. Right?
1. Bored

Loki was bored. He often was. Living for millennia was boring after the first few; he had read all the books upon asgard, had learnt all he could about his magic from his mother, and was fed up with the spars with Thor (he won, every time). He needed something to do that wouldn't get him into further trouble, after all, he had only just about been forgiven for being controlled by Thanos and the following Chaturi invasion on Midgard though it was anything but his fault.

With the entire of the nine realms and other dimensions he could visit it was hard to be bored, yet Loki was. The last vaguely interesting thing he had done was learning the manipulation of time, which he had mastered easily, though the tome he had learnt from was purely theoretical and had stated that that type of magic had not been performed in centuries due to the death of the last great magic wielder. Loki smiled smugly from his bed at the thought of his excellence. He needed something to do.

He, in his spare time, had taken to exploring the other dimensions events and found himself particularly interested in one dimension due to it's use of magic on Midgard. Midgardians were generally thought too weak to use magic as it was thought to be a strong and powerful being, yet this version of Midgard had a secluded group of people who had mastered the skill. Loki had visited many times and became more and more interested in the 'wizarding world' in Midgard. The small population was rathe obsessed (rather like it's other dimensional counterpart) with it's two wars. Especially a boy named Harry Potter. It was fabled among the mortals that he defeated a great dark lord at seventeen and had died years later working as an auror. This boy had saved the world that shut him out, Loki thought he saw a lot of himself in this boy.

An idea struck him. A way to learn about the midgardian magic users and not be bored at once.

He rewarded himself yet again for his manipulation of time, it meant he would not have to inform his 'father' of his journey, it would be like he never left...


	2. Friends

The tall figure landed in a back alley in the small town of Little Whinging, Surrey. This was where the fabled Harry Potter had once lived, he just needed to reverse time then possess the child. Not in a dramatic way, no, he would place himself at the back of the boy's mind and enjoy the adventures the mortal went on.

The ink-black haired man with mischievous green eyes that glinted in the light of the street lamp beside him focused and started chanting the incantation that would reverse time to when the 'hero' had lived here. The mysterious man, Loki, watched as he saw the land change from the site of a few abandoned houses to an almost thriving housing estate. The time stopped reversing and he caught the eyes of a little boy who was standing in the drive of the house opposite him. Realising that he had, to the boy, appeared out of nowhere, Loki quickly made himself invisible and observed the boy.

The small child looked surprisingly like himself at a younger age. The child, who he had assumed was Harry Potter, had the same shade hair as him with the same slight curl to it. Their eyes held the same striking similarity, as did the face shape. Everything about the boy reminded Loki of himself, though why the boy was sitting on the drive of a small house at nearly one in the morning troubled him. No child should be left outside like that, he had believed that, as the saviour of his world, this boy would have been pampered in his youth, clearly he was wrong.

Harry had been kicked out again. He didn't mind, it happened a lot. The Dursleys had never shown him any respect, he didn't expect them to, they had taken him in after his parents untimely deaths. They had chosen to take him in without extra payment, it didn't mean he was happy there though. Dudley, his cousin, seemed to take great pleasure in taunting, chasing, humiliating and injuring Harry, that was why he wasn't happy. He wasn't ungrateful, he appreciated the food, warmth and shelter his relatives had provided for him but he didn't believe they had a real reason to treat him so poorly.

They reminded him almost daily that he was a freak, that he wasn't 'normal'. They all but encouraged Dudley's bad treatment of him even though he was their cook, their cleaner, the laundrette and all round general servant. From all his silent slaving Harry had still been almost starved and, at ten, still slept in the cupboard under the stairs. He wasn't happy about his situation, but he was too afraid of his whale-like uncle to do anything about it.

This time, he had frozen the bathroom when his aunt, Petunia, had tried to put him into a bath of scalding hot water. His uncle had heard Petunia's un-lady like squeal and had thrown him out of the house, chucking his badly-fitting clothes at him and slamming the front door in his face. Wanting to keep his decency, Harry dressed in the elephant skin that was his shirt and slipped into the trousers. He was starting to shiver in the december evening without a coat. It was only the first day of his christmas break, he dreaded to think about what the rest of the break would be like after this event.

Just as he was thinking about what he could say to his spiteful uncle, a person popped up across the road. This person, whoever they were, looked like him, but older. The older man locked eyes with Harry for a second, before he vanished. Despite the fact he couldn't see this mysterious man, he could still feel him. He didn't understand how he could, but he could. The connection he could feel was bemusing him, more than any of the other things he had done, like freezing the bathroom. His emotions started to overwhelm him, Harry felt like he could trust this person. That worried him.

He blinked hoping the man would appear again but when he opened his eyes he wasn't on the drive anymore. He looked around and saw only floor to ceiling bookcases.

"We are surprisingly similar, are we not?"

At the sound of a voice he looked round to see the man standing casually.

"Where are we?"

"Right, so instead of wishing to know who the strange man that is talking to you is, you ask where we are. Looks of me but brains of foolhardy Thor." the man shook his head disapprovingly.

"I asked where we were. Answer me." Harry had always been told to speak politely to adults, but this man was really irritating him. He felt like he knew him though they had never met, he was sure of that if nothing else.

"That's better, be more assertive. We are in your mind and, as you have no idea of your capabilities yet, you haven't rearranged it yet and it has taken on the default form of the place you love most, which seems to be a library."

"You said something about Thor, god of thunder, what did you mean by that?"

"I'm going to take that as an indirect question of my identity since you obviously have a problem with asking straight qiestions. I am Loki Laufeyson of Asgard. Thor is my… brother. You are destined for great things mortal, I have come to observe you. I wish to stay in the back of your mind, only helping if you wish it."

"No." Even knowing who he was, Harry didn't appreciate Loki's decision. He didn't like the thought of other people in his head, despite they were in his head now, or so Loki had said.

"Excuse me, _mortal_ ," he spat the insult out, "but can I ask the reason for your audacity."

"For some reason I seem to trust you I feel comfortable with you, but I refuse to let you be in my mind for longer than needed."

He then felt a drag at his head and he was back curled up on the drive of number four.

"You are stronger than I gave you credit for Harry. What do you suppose I do if you deny my proposal? Follow you around like a lost sheep?"

"That's a good idea actually, you want to see my choices, you can be my friend. I've never had a friend before." Harry sent a blinding smile in Loki's direction, delighted at just the thought of a friend.

The trickster prince's unemotional pretense melted away seeing the boy smile so vividly at the thought of a friend, he had to agree.

"Of course I'll be you friend Harry."


	3. Confidence

After that night Loki had been teaching Harry combat, both physical and magical, and how to embrace his Slytherin side. The conversation about magic was shorter than Loki had expected, though Harry did have a number of questions about Asgard.

The main focus for Harry was to make the Dursleys see him as their superior, which he was. Loki had been teaching him charm and how use the best comebacks as well as intimidation skills. Harry, under the influence of Loki, had become a pure Slytherin (though Loki had called him a Hufflepuff when he told him he could stay with him when he got his new room, his best friend was secretly delighted at the notion).

At one of their meetings Loki had said he was ready to confront the horrible relatives he had, Harry started purposefully back to the house but his friend grabbed his arm.

"I have a gift for you when you achieve your goal, for your first step to independence." Harry flashed a smile at his best friend and left to go confront his tormentors.

Petunia Dursley had never paid much attention to her nephew. He had always been a quiet, shy little boy but these few months she found herself paying closer attention to the little freak. Ever since he had frozen the bath she had so nicely given him, he had been too quiet. He said nothing, ever. Before he used to respond with, "yes ma'am," or "of course," but now he didn't even say that. He had also been going out a lot at night even though it was early spring. She wasn't complaining about it, as long as he didn't bring back any trouble. Yet when he came back from his 'walks' he had a malicious grin on his face, like he knew something they didn't. He had only been out for ten minutes when she heard the front door close, but rather than coming and saying goodnight and then going to his 'room', Harry sat on the furniture, like he was their equal.

Harry had decided to break a few rules before he started to lay into his aunt and uncle, maybe he would even have a little 'conversation' with Dudley since he was still awake. He almost grinned at the sight of his aunt's face, it was of pure confusion. He brought his finger up to his lips and placed a silencing charm on her. He had complete control over his magic thank to Loki, but the fun would really start when Vernon noticed him. That moment happened to be now.

"Hello uncle." Harry's face broke into a wide grin when his uncle realised he couldn't speak. "I wouldn't try to shout, it won't work. I just wanted a chat about how you thought telling me my parents were drunks and not telling the truth like polite people has come to bite you. I have figured out that what I have, how I make strange things happen, is magic. I, through my sources, have found the true story of how my parents died. Really, rather than moaning about your lies, what I want to talk about is your less than special treatment of me." He stood and stepped in front of his uncle who made a lunge for the boy, only to be stopped by some invisible force. "That just won't do. That is not how we treat our betters, is it dear uncle. Let me continue. You have close to starved me, let your pitiful excuse for a son bully me and have generally turned me into your slave. I don't appreciate that. No one would, and so it changes today. From now Petunia, my dear aunt, shall be doing the cooking and cleaning, Dudley will no longer bully me, you shall leave me be, so I can be a normal child, not a slave, and you shall tell everyone that I am not a delinquent, but the most intelligent person you have met. At least you won't be lying anymore. Those are the new rules, any questions? No? Oh, and I shall be moving my belongings to the guest room which will be my room now. Goodnight." Harry walked out of the room and collected his stuff from the cupboard to go upstairs to his new room, only stopping at the top of the stairs to snap his fingers which broke the charms.

Harry's first warning lasted around a week on Vernon. His Uncle was 'reminded' of the power Harry held. Subtle had been washed out of his new Slytherin vocabulary, he had Loki to thank for that.

His days were now spent like childhood should. His marks at school picked up because he didn't have to be dumber than his rock-like cousin. After school everyday was spent with Loki at the park training with the present he had received. That present was one of Loki's best daggers, forged by the royal asgardian blacksmith. This blade would never dull or age, it would stay perfect forever. The dagger had earnt Loki a tight hug from the affectionate little trickster.

For the first time in his life he was enjoying himself and Harry knew it was just going to get better. Over their meetings, Loki had been telling Harry of Hogwarts, a school of wizardry. His eyes lit up when his best friend had told him he would get his letter exactly a week prior to his birthday, which just happened to be today.

The Dursleys, and Harry, were eating breakfast when the post came through the letterbox. Dudley, as usual, went to collect the post and gave it the correct person. This morning, to his surprise, there was mail for his cousin.

Harry graciously received his letter and thanked his cousin and pocketed it, ignoring their curious gazes. He would open it with Loki.


	4. Letters

The Asgardian was fighting against himself. Part of him thought he had gone too far, being Harry's friend was amazing, he was a great person, but he had turned the boy into something else, he had made Harry him. He didn't know what to do about that. If he left now the boy would still end up Slytherin, Loki didn't mind that but he had rewritten the fate of the saviour of an entire world. He could either erase the boy's memory… no, that wouldn't work, his relatives would notice. He wasn't happy with that idea anyway, he had grown to… care for the mortal. That left one option he was okay with; staying his friend.

The trickster prince knew that it was risky, but he had already changed the path the boy on, Hel, he could even save some lives on the journey. He could spend more time with his little trickster.

Harry came running at Loki when he entered his room. True to his word, the child had let Loki stay with him when he had got his room, though they had had to enlarge the room, which Harry had thought was the best thing ever, to fit two beds in.

"Loki! I got my letter look," a piece of yellowed parchment, an envelope, was pulled out of Harry's pocket and shown to him;

 _Mr H. Potter_ _His Room_ _4 Privet Drive_ _Little Whinging_ _Surrey_

With a nod from his elder, Harry carefully opened the letter, he had waited so long he wanted to savor the moment. Inside were two pieces of the same yellowed parchment, they read;

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_ _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_ _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_ _Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

Dear _Mr Potter,_

 _We_ _are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

 _Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term_ _begins on 1 September._

 _We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

Harry raised his head and he watched Loki read the letter. When their green eyes met Loki saw the unasked question in his eyes. Rather that answering his question verbally, the prince pointed to the second page of parchment.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND_ WIZARDRY

Uniform

First-year _students will require:_

Three _sets of plain work robes (black)_

One _pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

One _winter_ cloak

Please _note that all pupils' clothes should carry name_ tags

Set Books

All _students should have a copy of each of the following:_

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _by Miranda_ Goshawk

A History of Magic _by Bathilda_ Bagshot

Magical Theory _by Adalbert_ Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric_ Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida_ Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius_ Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _by Newt_ Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection _by Quentin Trimble_ Other

Equipment

1 _wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass_ scales

Students _may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a_ toad

PARENTS _ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

"Can we go?"

Seeing the desire in his eyes Loki smiled to himself.

"Of course."

They arrived in front of the many wondrous shops that made Diagon Alley. The awe that appeared on Harry's face lit up the entire street, he had only heard tales of the place, and, never having been before, thought it was awesome.

The pair went first to Gringotts to withdraw some money before they went on a shopping spree. Harry had all his school books from Flourish and Botts- plus every other book he was interested in, which was most- at Madam Malkin's they had brought Harry the best clothes they could within regulation, but Harry's favourite was the trunk. Though his entirely black bird, called Nightlet, did come close.

It had seven compartments and was more like an apartment than a trunk, it had a kitchen, a bedroom, two potions rooms- with extra storage shelves, a library, a guest room and a bathroom. It also could have a lock put on it, Harry, after hearing about the language of the snakes- and that he could speak it- put a simple password on it, in parseltongue.

They stayed out until the sun started to set, having one last ice cream at Florean's before they went back to Privet Drive. They settled up for sleep but something was troubling Harry.

"Loki?"

"Yes little trickster?"

"What will you do at Hogwarts?"

"I won't be going." He had not wanted to upset his friend, his only friend, but he couldn't go to Hogwarts, they wouldn't have him.

"They must be some way you could come, you are a god Loki! You can do what you want! What I want you to do!" He paused, not wanting his emotions to overwhelm him. "I'm sorry, but I'm lost without you, you're my best friend..."

Loki wished he could help, that he could do something, but he would need to go to Hogwarts and enroll himself…

"I'll see what I can do Harry."

And they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

When September 1 arrived Harry didn't want to leave Loki, nor did he want to deny the opportunity of Hogwarts. They agreed that Loki would drop Harry off at platform 9 so they could enjoy each other's company for the longest possible.

They arrived on the platform with around five minutes to spare, Loki insisted Harry board the train early, so he could get his own cart. With some hesitation, Harry did.

Having been told his many names, by the best friend he was already missing, the boy-who-lived sat down in an empty cart and reread his the fifth year study books. He had bought all the books for some light reading throughout the year.

He had just finished the book for transfiguration, and was going to attempt the spells, when a jolt set the train off. This was it. Hogwarts for the rest of the year. Loki would have loved it…

He picked up his wand, the one they had had made in Knockturn alley, Loki said that they didn't have the trackers that the ministry approved Ollivanders wands did, and successfully transformed the seat opposite him into a parrot. Smiling at his work, Harry did the counter when he heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in." Harry got another book out and then looked to the person in the door who hadn't said anything.

"Hello?" ... Strange. They didn't want to talk. Harry returned to his plush seat (he had conjured a few cushions) and the mute sat opposite, on the once-parrot seat.

He looked at the boy, there was something familiar about him. Maybe it was the inky black hair, or the eyes just a shade lighter than his, but Harry swore this looked like Loki, the best friend he had left for Hogwarts, bit younger. The boy must be a first year too He nearly dismissed the thought, but the mischievous smirk that grew on the mystery mute's face gave away his true identity. It was Loki. His best friend, by what ever means, was coming to Hogwarts with him!

"Hello little trickster."


	5. Sorting Slytherins

"So you put yourself on the scholarship list, then created an illusion that you could wear the entire year. That is why we are best friends Mr. Laufeyson."

"It was fairly easy, but I've decided to be Loki Evans, making me your cousin, and explaining why we already know each other." He looked to Harry with a smug smile on his face, "We can unleash our genius on the school together now."

They were just plotting some schemes when a small knock came from the door. They both looked up and saw three ginger haired wizards in the doorway.

"Hello,"

"We are the Weasleys,"

"Fred," one of the two taller twins pointed to the other.

"And George," the second twin, Fred, pointed to the second.

"This is ickle ronniekins." They finished the most confusing introduction together.

Harry and Loki exchanged glances. These were the twins, the ultimate pranksters, they had to be friends.

"I'm Harry, this is Loki." A simpler introduction would be best, they didn't want to cause more confusion. Ron sat down and looked like he wanted to speak, but he was stopped by his brothers.

"Right, well,"

"We are gonna go find Lee,"

"Our best friend."

Did they always have to talk like that, though it was quite entertaining.

"Why don't you sit. I'd be interested in a conversation with you two." Ron sank in his chair when Loki ignored him.

"Im sure your friend Lee will pass in a bit," Harry added, hoping they would accept the offer.

"You do make a good offer,"

"And we shall accept said generous offer."

Both twin sat, one opposite the other, at the seats by the door. Harry grinned at them whilst Loki started talking.

"We were just plotting a 'surprise' for the welcome feast, what do you think? You two look mischievous, do you prank?"

Ron got up and left at the question, knowing his brothers love for pranks and the imminent barrage of words that fell upon the two dark haired boys.

The conversation escalated and the four boys were soon scheming the years worth of pranks. At some point Lee had stuck his head in, but at hearing the conversation, left.

By the time they had arrived at Hogsmede, having changed part ways through their conversation, the four pranksters had come up with an amazing plan and were ready to put in action after the sorting ceremony. The boy's split ways to go to the castle because the first years had to ride on the boats.

Loki was helping Harry into the boat he was standing in when Harry bumped into a bushy haired witch who shoved him back so he fell in the water with a large splash.

"He should watch where he's going," she sneered at Loki, and then she sauntered off to another boat.

Loki levitated his best friend back onto the boat and then dried him off, placing a warming charm on him so he didn't get cold, yet all that time he was scowling at the bushy haired witch. She had messed with the wrong people.

The ride across the lake was smooth, they had to duck their heads to pass the wall of ivy into the underground dock, and they all got off and walked up to some steps where they were left waiting.

Conversations started between first years, a boy with white blond hair stepped up to Harry.

"Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy. I can help you choose which people you want to be friends with," the boy gave a small smile and held out his hand to Harry.

"Ok, first you just declared yourself my friend, which is wrong. Though I am interested, why else should I be friends with you?"

"I...I'm a Malfoy?" The boy's statement came out as a question. His face showed that no one had ever done this before, but it was Harry.

"Yes, I got that. Why should I be friends with you Draco?"

"I have lots of contacts, I have knowledge of the wizarding world, I can give you resources no one else can." The blond boy had regained his pride and spoke with confidence.

"Ok."

Draco's face lit up when Harry shook his hand like a gentleman. Loki could tell he would be a good friend and an asset to them.

Just then a stern looking witch came to the top of the stairs and introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress. The group was then led through an anti chamber, where some ghosts came through the wall - earning some gasps-, and into a massive hall with a ceiling charmed to imitate the sky. The, slightly nervous, first years were lined up in front of the four main tables, with the teachers table behind them.

McGonagall set a old stool in front of the line and an old wizard's hat on top. The crack near the rim of the hat opened, and the old hat sang.

When the sorting hat was finished, McGonagall opened a long scroll and said;

"When your name is read out, sit on the stool with the hat on your head, it will sort you into one of Hogwarts' great houses. Hannah Abbott."

The girl sat with the hat on her head and was sorted into Hufflepuff. A few other people were sorted, to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, and then it was Loki's turn.

"Loki Evans." His name earnt a few whispers from the crowd, the Evans's line was thought to had died out long ago, with Lily Evans.

Loki sat on the stool and went to put the hat on when it announced; "SLYTHERIN!" Harry smiled even though they had expected that.

The rest of the sorting was rather boring, apart from learning their victim was called Hermione, until Harry's name was called.

"Harry Potter." His name earnt more than even Loki's had.

He walked toward the hat and was a few feet away when it declared; "SLYTHERIN!" Harry ignored the states from the room and sat next to Loki and Draco on the Slytherin table. The sorting finished and what followed caused chaos throughout the entire hall.


	6. The Prank and The Secret

As soon as the last first year sat down the entire hall erupted into devastation. Coloured streamers had been let of that died people's skin different colours, all the teachers robes were the opposite colour of what the should be and others had been charmed to show certain features of their animagus forms. Yet throughout this chaos wispy snakes and roaring lions were filling the space about the shouting children's heads, the only people who were still calm were the ones not affected by the prank, the ones who pulled the prank.

Loki and Harry caught the eyes of Fred and George and the four shared malicious grins across the hall as the torrential downpour of steamers stopped and the children stopped shouting. Dumbledore, rather than try to give his speech, waved his arms as a signal to the house elves for food.

The hall settled slightly as people began stuffing their sobbing faces with food. The two Slytherins were quite happy with the outcome, and they were due the twins were too.

When the boy's turned back around to eat they were met by the disgruntled face of a mister Draco Malfoy, though it was now tinged a nice shade of purple.

"I can tell you two are going to be trouble. Next time just tell me. Let me prepare." He then went, sulkily, back to eating his food.

The rest of the welcoming feast went normally apart from a few glares from some of the older Slytherins. They didn't believe Harry was a true snake, they thought he was a lion pretending to be a snake.

Afterwards the two fifth year Slytherin prefects toured them around the school, even showing them a few secret passages which could help them be on time for their lessons. Nothing really happened until they got to the common rooms.

The prefects had just finished explaining the passcodes for the door, the group stepped inside, yet rather than awe at the beauty of the room, they all suddenly felt tired. Incredibly tired. At seeing the first years tiredness they were told their dorm buddies and were sent to bed. No one else was in the common room either, even the prefects went to bed earlier.

Harry and Loki only shared their room with one other boy, Blaize Zabini, who was relatively nice and kept to himself. Both boys fell to the beds where the trunks were. A moment of silence passed before they burst into uncontrollable laughter. They could tell this was going to be a good year.

The next morning had the school still in bed at breakfast, apart from four, and all missed their morning lessons. Because they had made it obvious that they had pulled the prank, the two first years and two third years were called to Dumbledore's office by a disgruntled Snape (he had only had Harry and Loki in his potions class all day, and though they were incredibly skilled, he was getting bored).

"Boys, I appreciate that you like pranking, it's good to have a hobby, but would you please stop this one. It has affected schooling now. Retract the spell." The Headmaster's voice turned stern.

"We have,"

"This morning," the twins answered.

Dumbledore's eyebrow raised, so Loki explained, "We cancelled the spell when we woke up Sir, so that they could continue lessons as usual."

"It's entirely their fault that they are still in bed, the spell made them all more tired, it didn't stop them sleeping, it helped," Harry added. He couldn't let his friends get in trouble.

The old wizard huffed, these boys had thought this through to the tee. He dismissed them and stopped lessons until everyone was out of bed.

The boy's high fived each other for their genius, but when the twins headed back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Loki stopped them.

"We would like to invite you to be part of a secret," Loki said, mysterious as always.

Both twins nodded enthusiastically and followed the two first years to the seventh floor. They had reached the portrait of the dancing trolls and were just about to ask where they were going when Loki announced them there. With Loki's words a door appeared on a blank wall and they opened the large, rickety old doors.

The walls of the room were glass, reflecting light and making it seem bigger. In the middle of the room was a waist high basin. It was circular with the center raised. The center had an ornate letter M on it, but that wasn't the only decoration. A crown sat at a jaunty angle on top of the M with two foxes at the base. The corners of the room were each filled a different workspace. One had bookshelves, another had a potions lab. The bench in the far corner looked like it was meant for runes, whilst the one nearest the door was meant for spellcraft. The room was an amazing sight to behold and the third years just stood in awe of the space.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirement."

When the boy's finally stepped into the room, Harry shut the doors and followed. Loki had shown him the room before, but it was still just as brilliant.

Inspecting the room, the twins stopped at the centrepiece.

"We get the foxes,"

"But why the M and the crown?"

Harry looked confused, he knew the crown was Loki and the M was him. He then realised that the twins were the foxes. They were all represented in this small piece of art.

Loki explained; "You two are the foxes because they are your animal forms, Harry is the M and the crown because he is the Marauder prince."

The trickster's word made a bit of a stir that sent both red haired boys to their knees to bow to Harry. They weren't going to question why he wasn't there now, they were... _busy_.

Loki laughed to himself at Harry's attempt to get the twins off of him, he then went to the library corner to read some of the books. It was not only filled with magical books, but Muggle and Asgardian ones as well. He would earn the twins about behaviour before dinner, for now he would get lost in a good book...


	7. News

It took another week for all the students to wake up, during which the pranksters were in the Room of Requirement experimenting with spells, potions and rune magics. By that time Loki had read the entire library in the room and had started on the school library. It was safe to say Loki was a fast reader, but he and Harry were incredibly fast learners. They had both soaked up all the the twins could teach them and were then learning from the book theories they were supposedly impossible to create. Of course the boys had achieved their 'impossible' goals. Harry took to potions like it was his secret talent, something Fred, who loved potions himself, was very proud of. Though Harry had an exceptional talent for potions, he also exceeded expectations in every other subject the twins threw at them. He, without even realising it, had learnt and adapted the summoning charm, _accio_ , because he thought items took too long to fly through the air, possibly hitting other things on the way. Harry's charm now summoned items straight to him, much to the other's amazement.

Lessons started again by far the first year prankster's favourite lesson was potions. Despite professor Snape's obvious aversion to the Potter heir, he quickly became top of the class and Snape's best student. He was allowed access to the labs at any time he wished and, with a bit of help from Snape, Harry had made several new potions, including one that covered a person from all spells and effects except the killing curse and parsel magic (magic performed in parseltongue). The testing for the potion had been easy, after getting permission for a volunteer from the prisoner testing department of Azkaban. Loki showed off, firing all the spells he knew, including a few asgardian ones. He then was informed by Snape that he should start talking or he would be expelled. A few raised eyebrows, a couple of demonstrations and one failed escape later, Snape knew their secret.

The reaction was unexpected, Snape became closer to them and though the Professor was still snarky and mysterious, he smiled around the two celebrity snakes. He didn't mind the peculiar looks he got when he said it, but Snape was Harry's favourite teacher. Even so he did not expect the conversation that came one Saturday theorising in the labs.

"Potter,"

"Yes Professor?"

"Do you have a quill?" Loki smiled, he knew the stern professor always had extra equipment in his desk, but what did he want?

"Quill, now." Harry shook of the potion master's strange behaviour and snapped his fingers, making his spare quill arrive.

"Here you go sir."

"Good, I need to write your recommendation letter."

"Recommendation for what, sir?"

"Oh, have I not told you? I'm recommending you to the potion master's guild, to become a potions master." he spoke with the usual calm voice despite the excitement that burned in the young snake's eye.

The breathtaking silence didn't last long, Harry's eruption of joy exploded and could be heard throughout the dungeons, Loki sat there grinning to himself, Snape with a smirk, but Draco's jaw had dropped and was almost hitting the floor. The Malfoy heir had known Harry was good at potions, but for his godfather to recommend him, Snape would be putting his name on the line for Harry. He must have really impressed the dungeon bat.

With Loki and Snape's help, Harry sent his application form off to the potion master's guild, only a day after Snape sent the recommendation letter. That week Harry could be seen almost skipping along the halls, breaking the emotionless mask he wore as a Slytherin. Not even Loki's reminder that halloween was coming could set him down. Halloween was when their plans were set, not only did they have a morning prank set up, but they would also have to confront 'Quirrelmort' as Loki so amusingly called him (Harry thought the prince had gone mad when he burst into laughter at the name). Quirrel possessed by Voldemort was set to let a troll in in hopes to obtain the Philosopher's Stone which would help him gain a body. When Harry first heard the news Loki realised how much of a Slytherin he was. Rather than being scared or thinking of ways to defeat him, Harry said that he wanted to negotiate. With the Dark Lord. The one that tried to kill him when he was a baby. Negotiate. He is eleven. Most adults wouldn't dream of facing the Dark Lord, yet Harry was different.

...

The prankster snakes hadn't heard from their lion colleagues in a while, but they brushed it off as homework or something. Yet when they came crashing into the Room of Requirement after dinner, both boys realised this wasn't the case.

"We have to tell you something,"

"There's a plot,"

"Against you Harry,"

"Well, more to get you Harry,"

"Dumbledore,"

"And Granger,"

"They were trying to get Ron to help,"

"He said yes,"

"But there's a plot to get you on the 'light' side,"

"Because apparently you have gone 'dark',"

"Something about you being their secret weapon,"

"Dumbles said he was going to put compulsions on a cloak,"

"You were to help the 'light',"

"To defeat Voldemort,"

"That after the war you would be,"

"Married to Granger,"

"So that they could have the Potter fortune,"

"We had been collecting proof,"

"But they are so evil they might as well,"

"Go around cackling like the crazy people they are,"

"But we should stop their plots,"

"Right?"

The twins were talking so fast that the snakes gave up trying to look at the person talking in favour of trying to listen to what they had to say. What they had said wasn't expected, but Harry's answer was even more of a surprise.

"No."


	8. The Gryff's Plot

"I said, no. As in we shouldn't." His decision was met by a smirk from his godly best friend and jaws dropped from the others.

"If we show them that we know, they will stop, they will change plans. So it's in our best interest to say nothing."

The boys carried on stared at the dark haired menace like he was an alien, they were wrong, the trickster god was.

The plan they made was perfect. They all made sure none other than those in the room at the time knew of their plan. It would be detrimental to have another who could warn Dumbledore of their plans.

Halloween came around and Harry was walking down the corridors with his best friends to breakfast. The great hall had been decorated to match the occasion. Jack-o'-lanterns were charmed to float with the magical candles and spiders were having down from big webs in archways. The parade of boys strutted into the hall wearing matching expressionless faces; the three snakes had varying emotions about the day ahead but they all refused to show it. They, as Slytherins, need not show emotion to others, everyone kept their distance from the whole house anyway; emotionlessness was just something that didn't betray weaknesses to the other houses.

The boy's sat down on the benches to eat their breakfast in companionable silence. When finished, the boys watched the owls fly in with the post and the morning papers. They all received the daily prophet but all packed the copies into their bags for later reading. Before leaving the group cast a look at Snape who nodded briefly. Loki had sent the potions master a quick letter this morning about what was going to happen that evening, they had thought the stern man would appreciate a little forewarning. The snakes left the hall and started back to the dorm. Passing the charms corridor, the boy's heard all too familiar chatter. When they saw the owners of the voices approach they hid to eavesdrop.

"Ron you really are useless." Came the snotty voice of a certain bushy haired witch.

"But 'Mione, I don't actually understand. We need to get close to that awful snake just so the 'Order' has more funding. Isn't that just Dumbledore? and can't we just say the hat made a mistake, imperius the hat, and sort him into Gryffindor? That would be easier." The small red head was really quite irritating sometimes.

"You can't use the imperius curse on a hat."

"Why not? It's alive right?"

The snob just rolled her eyes. "Because it was made my Godric Gryffindor himself. It would be like defiling the entire house. And anyway, Potter deserves to be in Slytherin. He would only bring our proud house to shame, or worse, he could drag others into becoming dark like him. We definitely do not need him in our house. What we need is a way to break his inner circle."

"We could talk to that Loki kid, he seems nice enough."

"But they never separate, we need to be able to talk to them all or none".

Just as they finished down the corridor, Loki slipped out from their hidden spot and strolled towards the two thieves.

"Psssst". Ron poked Hermione hard in the arm and pointed at Loki. They both just stared as he passed them, alone. This solved their problems. Yet, the two idiots just stood, watching their opportunities pass by.

"Hey, ummmm, Loki. We wanna talk to you". Surprisingly it was Ron who eventually stopped the god on his travels.

The hidden blond ponce had to suppress a giggle at the look of pure innocence on the mischievous god's face when he turned to answer the red-haired idiot. One thing Harry took note of was that Loki was a great actor, he could put the talent to use.

"Of course, you are the youngest Mr. Weasley, correct? Miss Granger? To what to I owe the pleasure?".

"Uhh…". The familiar mumblings of Ron trying, if you listened really hard you hear the dusty cogs in his head try and turn. Said cogs were abruptly shut down by the bushy haired beaver who looked distinctly unimpressed.

"We, Loki, were wondering whether we could hang out sometime?".

"Well", Loki tried his best not to show the sneer that wanted to appear on his face and wasn't entirely sure it worked, "perhaps you could meet me in the library after potions this afternoon, I'd be happy for the company. Harry and Draco are going to 'recruit' rather than study this evening, I opted out".

"Right, well we'll meet you in the library after potions. See you around".

When they were sure the sneaks were gone, Harry and Draco revealed themselves to a irritated Loki, who was sighing in deep relief. No wonder the witch had no real friends, only a limpet following her everywhere, she was atrocious company.

"Come on, we better get to charms". The boys proceeded to blaze through the day, showing their superiority at every possible chance, but in an elegant way, a way not to become snotty goody-goodies. They must keep their reputations intact. It was of utmost importance for them to be seen in a good light.

After potions in the afternoon Loki went to the library to go and meet the Gryffs. They were in his potions class but his group of snakes always stayed behind to talk to their potions master, the conversations were never boring.

Entering the room, Loki immediately spotted the fiery haired idiot and the bushy beaver. Breathing deeply he set off towards the table they were studying at with his set of books. Both Gryffs looked up when he 'accidently' slammed his pile of books into the table, Granger frowning because the godly snake had just made her spill ink on her essay.

Loki set down to his research without any interruption, which he was quite pleased about, but he knew questions would come eventually. He made quite a bit of progress on his spell research, he was in the process of making one that could show the bonds between people. The but he was really stumped on was the soulmate part, having never encountered his and without a soulpair to study from he had no idea how to go about finding the bond.

At 5:30 when he left to his dorm before the Halloween feast, Loki was followed by the sneaks, who bombarded him with questions that he ignored and gave vague answers to.

"So, hey, we were thinking we could be friends, you know? Hang out, have nice conversations? It'd be nice to have another friend". Finally, the 'friends?' question. Replying with a 'sure' Loki hurried off to go find Harry and Draco, he wondered if they had had any luck with finding anyone for the group.

Loki shrugged the thought off, he would find out soon anyway.


	9. Malfoys Make Good Pets

Draco dragged Harry away from his conversation with Severus about the uses of a black phoenix's tears, reminding him that they were supposed to scout the common room for some more friends. They left after saying they would see the potions master later and set off at a brisk walk.

The common room was full of people gossiping about the feast. The boys mingled, keeping an ear out for any potential opportunities. They heard lots of people talking about the pumpkins and the harsh orange that the hall was decorated, boring nonsense that most complain about.giving up they headed to the dormitories to plot more pranks. On they way to the male dorms Harry heard something that really interested him.

A boy who he recognised as Theodore Nott was talking to their dorm mate Blaize Zabini.

"I really hate Halloween you know. 'Cause it used to be that the wizarding world celebrated Samhain, the original Halloween. Samhain was like Halloween is but it was ten times better. There were even the cool rituals that allowed you to speak with the dead". Theodore actually had a point, wizards should celebrate Samhain instead.

"Yeah, you're right Theo. Also, if we did we could get rid of the tacky decorations and get some of the ghosts to be 'spooky'. Samhain would be way better". This was the best conversation Harry had heard in a long time, he had to issue an invite. The invites are basically notes to say they are welcome to spend time with the usually formal group. An invitation of friendship.

Feeling like they had completed their search for friends, Harry dragged Draco away from flirting with Daphne Greengrass, a girl in their year that didn't seem remotely interested in his efforts. The young snakes headed to their dorm to wait for Loki, he could be a while but they would plot to waste the time. But just as they reached the dorm door both boys stopped in their tracks. There was a girl by their door. A girl by the boy's dorms. Said girl spread a huge grin on her face when she saw the two boys.

"Hi, I'm Eliza Gaunt". She was beautiful, with hair black as night that flowed in neat frizzy curls to her waist and pale skin that made her hair seem even darker. Her eyes were a vivid green with flecks of pale purple. Her figure showed the learnings of elegance not yet put into practice, but there was something else, Harry felt… drawn to the slight girl and for more than just her beauty.

"Oh, right… He's Draco Malfoy and I'm Harry, Harry Potter. I can't say I've seen you around, but did I just hear you say you are a Gaunt? Isn' the Gaunt line dead? You're the last now, right?".

"Oh, yes. The last now. See my brother died. You killed him. But I'm not supposed to tell you I'm his sister, or that he's still alive. But I want to be friends Harry, at least". She spoke as if she knew more, as if she was a superior trying to be an equal.

"Isn't he quite a bit older than you though? How is he still alive? Good old Harry was supposed to have killed him. If he is still alive, why don't you look anything like him?". Eliza looked towards Malfoy and then back at Harry.

"I see that you have yourself a pet Malfoy, my brother had one too, very useful and influential. Good to have around. Did you know that Lucius breeds albino peacocks?...Fine I'll answer the questions. Yes, he is older than me, mother was still alive after Tom but on bed rest in St.Mungo's. 12 years ago she was visited by who she calls 'An old friend' who got her pregnant with me. She died during my birth and all I have for my father is a name, a name that I am not allowed to tell anyone. So, Tom is my half-brother. Yes, his name is Tom, Tom Riddle who stupidly changed his name when he became a 'dark lord'. What else did you ask? Oh, right, he made several Horcruxes when he was a dark lord, Horcruxes are an item that holds a piece of another's soul. These Horcruxes tied his soul to the land of the living, without a body, which is why he is possessing Quirrel. As for the appearance, as I have stated previously, he is only my half-brother, therefore we only share a few genes. Tom and my father are the only family I have left now. So, I am on a mission to find him, my father...after my education, obviously".

"I am not a pet!" He looked to Harry for some support.

"Of course not Draco, you are my friend. Lyra", he looked toward said girl, "I would like to invite you to join our group, we were looking for friends down in the common room but it seem we have found potential in an unexpected place". Harry had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at Draco's one-track-mind, the boy was publicly only focused on his image. He was better when you get to know him more, but Eliza was right, Malfoys make good pets.

"I will gladly accept your offer if you tell me who is in your group. I like being informed prior to meetings so I have more information to go off". A smile spread on Harry's face as she accepted, it would be nice to have a girl in their group.

"Well, there's me, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, we have also invited Theodore Nott and Blaize Zabini to join us, both of whom are very influential people. Plus both of them are super nice. Oh, and we have Loki too, Loki Evans. That's it, I think. Apart from the Weasley twins, but they're lions".

Harry and Draco watched as the girl in front of them paled, but before they could ask what was wrong she fainted. They watched as her body fell to the floor, only to be caught by Loki.

"Good thing I was here. She could have gotten a concussion falling on the floor. It's made of _stone_. For Asgardians stone would merely give us a ache when we woke. This girl is mortal. I didn't take you two for a pair of complete idiot's". Loki had swooped in and stopped her head touching the ground, but only by dropping his books which were now strewn unceremoniously around the pair.

Harry helped Loki carry Eliza into their dorm room, though the god didn't need much help, followed by a down-put Draco hauling the massive pile of books that had fallen to the floor. The girl was placed on Loki's bed and the boys huddled around her.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"Well, we said your name, cause she wanted to know who was in the group, she wants to be our friend, but she paled and before we could ask why, she fainted". Harry had a look of pure worry on his face as they waited for the girl to slip back into consciousness.

Slowly Eliza opened her eyes. She looked at Harry, then Draco, stopping at Loki with a wishful look on her eye. She spoke only one word, but that word explained everything.

"Daddy?".


	10. Sneaky Snakes

Loki was confused. He hadn't thought that his practice runs for getting to Harry's time would mean anything. He had just had fun, not thinking anything would come of it. He had loved a woman called Merope when she was younger. She was exceptionally beautiful for a mortal. So when the god had come back to his present, he was surprised to find his lover still alive, even more so when the woman remembered him. Never thinking about the consequences, that's what Odin would tell him, that he should think more. For once Loki agreed that he should have been more careful.

This child, his child, had finally found him. He knew she was his, she had his eyes and hair with the face of a young Merope. The Jotun had had other children, but with a frost giantess, never with a mortal. Only the fates could know the power the girl held, if any.

The situation he found himself in was a curious one. He had found a daughter that could accompany him on his journeys. His life was going to be a lot more interesting from here on.

Harry and Draco had been kicked out of the dorm room by Loki in favour of spending time with his newfound daughter. The boys had bumped into Theo and Blaize again in the common room. The conversation started well but after a while Harry drifted to his own thoughts. He was going over the plan for that evening, wondering what would happen and all possible negatives. Harry didn't even notice when the group of conversing boys stopped, or when they all turned to look at him, what he did notice was Draco's voice suddenly ripping him from his thoughts.

"Harry? You ok?" The look on the blonde's face said the unspoken words. Draco was worried about what was coming too, and he understood the nerves Harry had, even if the boy didn't know himself.

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. Shall we go up for dinner? I'm sure Loki will meet us there". With a last unsure look, Draco followed his best friend up and out of the dungeons to the great hall with Theo and Blaize close behind.

The usually eccentric hall was even worse than usual. The enchanted candles that lit up the room were accompanied by badly carved jack-o'-lanterns, tacky plastic skeletons were placed around the room, shabby felt bats hung from the alcoves and sweets were seemingly thrown carelessly across the house tables. To Harry's utter horror the worst thing in the room was Dumbledore (not that he wasn't the worst thing in any room normally). The 'wacky' headmaster was wearing an almost fluorescent robe set that made his face glow the colour of the pumpkins that surrounded him.

Spotting Loki, the boys sat down next to the newfound father and daughter.

"You know the spells, right? And you're sure you are ok with this?" Harry nodded at both questions. As much as he was worried of the outcome, he knew he had to do this for safety in his education.

So, as the meal finished and pudding appeared. Harry cast the invisibility spell and disillusionment charm on himself that he had found in a fourth year charms textbook. Unlike the cloak, the invisibility spell left a shimmering outline of the person it hid, and therefore the spell was nearly always paired with the disillusionment charm that would make it almost impossible to spot a person unless you knew they were there.

The raven haired boy slipped out of the hall unnoticed and made his way up to the defense corridor. Opening the door and sliding through the small space, Harry cancelled the charms and looked around for Quirrelmort. In his attempt to find the maniac, the boy hit his thigh into one on the desks and fell onto another. The movement scraped the desk along the floor and made a sudden noise. With the silence that followed, Harry realised that there had been a whispered conversation prior to his fall. Harry held his breath and watched as the door to the Professor's chamber slowly opened.

Along with the flooding of an orange light, a figure creeped out of the doorway and stood staring at the boy in his classroom.

"Harry P-Potter, how n-nice to s-see you. What c-can I h-h-help you with?". The boy in question stood there with a look of disbelief on his face. How could this stuttering mess be possessed by the 'dark' lord?

"Sir, with all due respect I do not wish to listen to that irritating stutter all day, I wish to speak to your 'alter ego', so to speak". Said stutterer looked at the boy with bemusement before they heard a rasping voice growl out.

"Let me talk to him", Quirrell then unwrapped the turban-esque cloth that surrounded his head and turned around. The face that harry saw was certainly not what any would expect.

The face of the dreaded Lord Voldemort had always been described as snake like. A scaly, red eyed weirdo with no nose. It made Harry wonder if this was Voldy at all. The man possessing the back of his defense teacher's head looked rather handsome, if only a bit sickly. His eyes glowing red when he talked gave Harry the confidence that it was the dark lord.

"How do you know about me? Who else knows?" Harry didn't like his tone at all, the man sneered at him like he was dirt. Maybe he should remind him of who he was…

"Well, if it isn't the man I defeated as a baby, not looking so good when you're forced to possess people for a physical form. Though this is fun, I didn't come here to taunt you. How about a chat?" The Slytherin child then sat down on the nearby desk as the Voldemort-ish-thing walked closer but remained standing.

"Alright then, I've come to negotiate with you," he held his hand up as Voldy opened his mouth to surely make some snide comment about him. "Hear me out. I want you to retake all your horcruxes for the exchange of my partnership with you".

"Why on earth would I want a partnership with a child? A child that is the only one who could destroy...Oh, right," the glow in his eyes died as he searched for some reason to argue the proposition. "How do you know of my horcruxes? Who else knows?"

Harry just say their smirking whilst watching the cogs in Voldy's brain turn. The man seemed quite nice when he wasn't destroying towns.

"TELL ME CHILD!" Said child jumped about a foot in the air at the dark wizards shout. He could certainly see why people were scared of him. He had real anger management problems.

"Well," Harry started as he received from the shock, "It's a very long story… that I'm not going to tell you unless you agree to the deal. Sorry, I'm not the kind of person that goes round telling everyone everything and then gets caught because he spoke to much. I digress, you will know all about my wonderful self if you wish to be my partner. I have a contract here that can be discussed in regards the the deal. Go over it, any problems come to me and I'll tell you is non-negotiable. Got it?" The final question snapped the wizard out his daze as he stared at the parchment in his hands. With a bid from both parties, the boy left and the dark lord stood in the classroom in a stunned state of disbelief.

"That kid is gonna be a handful". If only he knew how utterly right he was.


End file.
